CHRIS PUGH’S HAPPY ENDING
Community comes through for local photographer
Just another day for Chris Pugh volunteering at the art gallery, hauling equipment over to clean the back room, parking his car, grabbing the compressor, in the door and out the door and back to the car.
Total elapsed time: Three seconds.
(NOTE: Time estimates vary. A nearby store owner suggested three seconds; Chris himself said “No more than 30 seconds, max.”)
Whatever. When he got back to his car everything was there except the things he needs the most: his camera, lenses and a laptop computer. Somebody reached in, snatched his black nylon camera bag, snuck off and maybe felt proud of himself. But Chris Pugh is a professional photographer, and a photographer without a camera is like a carpenter without a hammer or a saxophone player without one.
In the good old days in Ukiah some public spirited citizen, Buddy Eller for instance, would organize a benefit. The Saturday Afternoon Club would then be rented, Hansen & Raitt would play music, money would be donated and a bad situation would be made a little better.
In 21st century Ukiah a public spirited citizen, Carole Brodsky for instance, organizes a Gofundme account. Donations hopefully roll in and bring in enough money to make a bad situation a little better.
Chris was reluctant to go along with the online plan. “I honestly didn’t want to do it,” he said. “I don’t like asking for help. I griped a little online, putting out a Be-on-the-lookout for things that were taken, letting pawnshops know what might turn up. But my feeling was that it happened, you deal with it and you move on.”
Chris figured it would take several thousand dollars to replace what the thief had stolen, which also included his press pass, a police scanner, flashlight and pocketknife. Carole prevailed, and the Gofundme call went out for contributions.
Maybe local citizens would raise money for any Ukiahan in need, but it couldn’t have hurt Chris Pugh’s case that for a long time he’s been a big part of what goes on around town.
He’s spent the better part of a recent decade as staff photographer for The Ukiah Daily Journal, and was the guy you’d see
snapping shots at downtown parades, Chili Cookoffs or kids at the SPACE Academy.
Is he good at what he does? In 2015 Chris Pugh took first place for Best Spot News Photograph among newspapers across the entire state of California. Born and raised in Ukiah, he’s built up a lot of good will and has made plenty of friends over the years. Now it’s all paid off. “Two days later there was $6,200 in the account,” said Chris, still slightly dazed at the quick spike in his fortunes. “I’m humbled and overwhelmed by the support from everyone.”
That collective “Awwwww!” you’re hearing right now is thousands of Daily Journal readers together sighing in relief that so dastardly a deed could be reversed into a happy ending. Carole Brodsky, take a bow.
Money has continued to accumulate and the plan is to spend it on a surveillance system at the back of Pear Tree Plaza where the Medium art gallery stands next door to Rod’s Shoes and near Baskin-robbins.
Chris has meanwhile been made whole and will now be able to replace both his laptop and Fuji camera.
And we all learned something about the GoFundme gizmo. It’s kinda like community-wide insurance but without Chris having to file paperwork, pay a premium, pay a deductible, show his agent photos of the missing items (“But how do I take a picture of my only camera with my only camera??”) and wait six weeks for a check to arrive.
The clouds have parted, the skies are clear and it’s time for Chris Pugh, in his own words, “to move on.”